When you think of boxing’s modern greats, Canelo Alvarez is a name that instantly comes to mind. From fiery knockouts to dominating performances, the Mexican superstar has built one of the most decorated résumés in the sport. But every legend has an origin story, and Alvarez’s story began during his early teenage years.

So, just how successful was Canelo before he turned professional with a 63-2 record? And did he ever taste defeat as an amateur? Let’s find out!

A close look at Canelo Alvarez’s amateur career

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez began his journey in boxing when he was just 13 years old. As an amateur boxer, he was a phenom that every other fighter had to look out for. After all, he secured 44 wins and two losses as an amateur. To make things even scarier for his opponents, he won 12 of his 44 fights by knockout, pretty remarkable for an amateur fight. In 2004, Alvarez became the Junior Mexican National Championships silver medalist. But in 2005, at 15, he went ahead to claim the gold medal. But then, reality hit him and his team. There was a scarcity of amateur fighters. And hence, at the age of 15, Canelo Alvarez was forced to move to the professional arenas and fight older and more experienced fighters.

So, how does the Mexican star’s professional career look? How many defeats did he have to face as a professional boxer? 

Canelo’s professional career losses & record

As a professional, Canelo Alvarez has fought 67 bouts and won 63 of them. He lost two and has two more draws. His professional career’s first-ever loss came in 2013, when he faced Floyd Mayweather Jr. Alvarez stood his ground throughout the bout and captured the attention of the entire fanbase. But in the end, he had to taste defeat via a majority decision. It was one of the most important fights in the Mexican’s career. Not just because it was his first defeat, but also because this marked a turning point in Canelo’s career, stylistically.

As a fighter steeped in the Mexican boxing tradition, Canelo, up until that point, didn’t rely much on his footwork and defense. After the loss, Canelo turned a new leaf, relying on his head movement, feints, and IQ to win fights instead of brute force. It was proof that Alvarez was going to become an unstoppable force in the future. 

Canelo’s other high-profile defeat came when he stepped up to light heavyweight to face Dmitry Bivol on May 7, 2022. Well, despite the skills that Alvarez possessed, Bivol outboxed him, and all the judges scored 115-113 in favor of Bivol. This was a vital moment for Alvarez. He didn’t really give up. Instead, he moved up to the super middleweight category and continued winning his fights. 

So, if we include his amateur and professional bouts, his boxing record reads 107 wins, 4 losses, and 2 draws. Absolutely insane, right? But now, his stance as the super middleweight champion is threatened. He is set to fight Terence Crawford with his undisputed super middleweight title on the line.

So, can he actually win against the undefeated star? Or will the Mexican face his career’s third defeat against Crawford? We have to wait in order to find that out this Saturday night. But do let us know your thoughts.